…

Three months into his new training with the ‘dumbbell’ Fate was summoned to meet the lord. This seemed odd to him since his father had seemingly approved of...or at least didn’t voice his disapproval towards Agatha’s actions.

-The maids came into my room, got me dressed up properly, and seem to be acting respectfully unlike usually. This just feels so wrong to me.

Fate was nearly two years old and as such, was noticeably taller. The clothes he was wearing were a white long sleeve shirt, black shorts attached to his shoulders by suspenders, and a small pair of black dress shoes. He truly seemed to look the part of a noble’s son, more so than he usually did anyway.

The plump and skinny maids walked at his sides down the hallway, occasionally receiving pitying glances from the servants they passed by. This most likely had to do with the fact that Fate was known as a ‘diseased child’ within the manor.

-Why does Father wish to see me? He hasn’t wanted to see me since around a year ago and even then he was hardly around...Yeah, a lot of details from my past life seem to be repeating...except for my mother...and my whole situation, I guess.

???: *Ahem* “...Young master, we have arrived at the lord’s quarters.”

The younger maid spoke nervously, her legs quivering constantly.

Fate: “Please...open the door.”

Fate spoke in an indifferent voice.

Her face turned sheet white, she bowed and pulled the door open and then stood next to the door in fear. The other maid simply ran down the hall for an unknown purpose.

Fate gazed into the Drawing Room, which he had seen before when his parents had brought in that ‘alchemist’ to persuade him to teach him.

-That went up in smoke...and I got a fresh hell of an experience in exchange. Now, Mother hasn't ‘taught’ me for the last few months and I’m all the more thankful for it.

Fate looked around the room, it was decorated with a few bookshelves, chairs, a small table in the corner with a tea set, and a large desk in the middle where his father appeared to be sitting. His gaze was troubled.

Issac: “Sit, my son.”

Issac spoke in a firm tone and motioned for Fate to sit in a smaller chair that was situated in front of the desk.

Fate hoisted himself onto the chair with some effort since, even though it was smaller than the other chairs, it was still taller than himself. He then faced his father, not staring him directly in the eye as a sign of respect. His father had a stoic expression

Issac: “How have you been, my son? It has been many a moon since I last saw you and... after I last heard from your mother about… ‘the incident…’”

-Hm? ‘Incident?’ Did she actually tell him straight out about the sh*t she put me through?! How vile can that b*tch be!? Wait...this doesn’t seem right…

Indeed, the atmosphere was not right for a parent comforting their child about a traumatic experience. It was more like...the feeling of a parent about to punish their child. Issac now wore a sad look upon his face, replacing the stoic expression he had earlier.

Issac: “You have not even been alive for two years and yet, you have already caused trouble for the staff of the manor...and…”

*bang!*

The door was pried wide open and Agatha was standing there with a pitiful expression.

Agatha: “My beloved, I hear you were here and would be…!”

She gazed at Fate with a cold expression for a brief moment before immediately switching it to one, seemingly on the verge of tears.

Agatha: “C-cursed…*sniffle*...that child…*sniffle*...our child is evil, rotten to the very core...I already told you that I…*sniffle*...didn't... want to see it anymore!”

Issac seemed to nearly break down himself after looking at her expression but seemed to have been able to hold it together despite this. He left his chair and quickly walked to her side, lovingly holding the side of her face.

-What...what the hell is going on here?! He’s actually supporting her and comforting her, after all the sh*t she did to me?!

Issac: “My Agate…” *sigh* “I know that you didn’t want to do this, but I want to confirm the facts as perhaps there is some hope for our child...You wish for this too, don’t you?”

-...Hope for me, what’s he talking about?

Agatha: “Yes…*sniffle*...I truly wish that there is some good within him…*sniffle*...that he may serve the Goddess faithfully as I have…*sniffle*...”

-Oh no…

Issac: “I know that you do...Now, my Agate, please sit and we shall discuss, with our child...During your lessons, you did your best to improve his grammar did you not?”

After Agatha sat down and listened to her husband, and she started to let tears roll from her eyes, she seemed to be crying and breaking down from the moment Issac mentioned the ‘lessons.’

Agatha: “Y-yes…” *sob* “He is... able to s-speak…” *sob* “H-he...did s-so...and so!” *sob* *sob*

-No, no, no.

Issac: “What you described...all those horrible…”

Agatha fell from her chair onto her knees and cried wholeheartedly as if everyone she loved had just died. Issac immediately rushed to her side to comfort her, embracing her in a hug.

As she cried, Agatha looked in Fate’s direction. Although her eyes kept spilling out tears, they had a sharp coldness to them. She then reached out one of her arms and curled one of her fingers, the one she had used most to ‘discipline’ Fate during their ‘lessons.’

Fate: “...Arghh!”

Fate suddenly felt a searing pain, emanating from the back of his neck. It was around the point where she had marked him with the crescent symbol when she almost killed him.

『Your contractor is enacting the effects of 【Pale-Moonlight Penance】!』

『Under the effects of【Pale-Moonlight Penance】you will be forced to follow the orders of your contract or suffer the predetermined consequence.』

-Sh*t! What the hell is she going to have me do under these conditions, she already has the situation under her complete control what the hell else does she want?!

Fate cursed internally, as this situation was already beyond his worst expectations. His own mother was doing her best to make him an outcast among the family and forever locking him in a life of servitude, with no escape.

P.S. - For those who are reading, I am sincerely sorry that I've kept you waiting the last few days. I have SAT exams coming next week so I've been studying and writing new chapters that I can post while I'm in the US for the week. Due to being caught up in studying and writing, I've been neglecting to repost my chapters from the forums on the site where I've originally been posting. Again, many apologies to all who actually want to read my trash.